


Just Remember, Darling

by angelsaves



Category: Hidden Figures (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Podfic Welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 05:33:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13357566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelsaves/pseuds/angelsaves
Summary: Katherine Goble and John Glenn soulbonded when they met. He wants to prove he's worthy of her trust.





	Just Remember, Darling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mardia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mardia/gifts).



> the title comes from the song mentioned briefly in the fic: ["You Belong To Me," by the Duprees](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCeNCvwEFU8), which was in the top 40 in 1962 and, in this universe, was clearly about a soulbonded couple.

Katherine almost thinks she's gotten away with it, the car silent once she starts the drive homeward. Maybe it can stay her secret - maybe it was all her imagination -

"So, are we going to discuss the fact that you are _soulbonded to a white man_ at any point?" Mary asks, crisp and cool as you please.

Dorothy heaves a sigh. "And I bet myself an extra hour of reading time this weekend if you managed to hold off for five minutes."

"You did not!"

"I did, and you had to go and open your mouth!"

"Well, are we going to talk about it or not?" Mary demands.

"We are not," Katherine says right away.

"Because this could have serious ramifications for both of your careers," Mary continues, undeterred, "not to mention the rest of your lives. You have children, for God's sake!"

"I am aware of that, thank you!"

"Mary," Dorothy says, "Katherine did say no."

"She's going to have to talk about it eventually. Better she gets used to it with people who care about her first."

"We could give her a little time to come to terms with it herself."

"I soulbonded, I didn't find out I have cancer," Katherine says sharply. "Shouldn't you be happy for me? Even a little bit?"

"He is a fine-looking white man," Mary admits. "Like a tall vanilla ice-cream soda."

"And he did want to shake our hands," Dorothy adds. "It could be much worse."

Katherine sighs. "It could."

Dorothy pats her elbow. "We just want you to know that we have your back, no matter what."

"Of course we do! You better not have been doubting that."

"I wasn't," Katherine assures her. It's true; she knows in her bones that the love she and her friends have for one another is more solid than rock. It's just going to be hard, that's all.

"Good," Mary says, settling. "At least it's been a few years since the Supreme Court case, so if you decide to marry him -"

"Mary! Don't you think you're getting ahead of yourself?"

Mary sniffs. "Oh, please. I know you, girl - you loved being married. You'll be marrying him within the year."

"He might have an opinion on the matter," Katherine reminds her. "Just because it's legal for us to marry doesn't mean he'll be interested in doing it."

"Hmmph! If he's not interested in marrying you, he's a fool," Dorothy says. "And the Good Lord wouldn't bond you to a fool. He just wouldn't."

"She's not wrong," Mary says, catching Katherine's eye in the rearview mirror. "Not to mention, I saw how that boy looked at you."

"Mm-hmm," Dorothy agrees. "We both did."

Katherine feels her cheeks heat, the memory of his hand in hers catching her by surprise, warmth blossoming outward from the core of her. "Well," she says, then realizes that she doesn't know how to finish that sentence, and abandons it.

"Well indeed," Dorothy says.

***

Once the girls are tucked away in bed, Katherine sits down with her mother over cups of tea. "Mama," she says, ripping off the bandage, "I have something to tell you."

Joylette raises her eyebrows and sips her tea. "Go ahead, then."

Katherine breaks a cookie neatly in half. "I soulbonded today."

"I see." Her mother's eyes are clear and direct. "And why aren't you happy about that, honey? Is it a woman?"

"No," Katherine says. "That might have been easier. It's a white man."

"Ah." Joylette sips her tea again, then nods. "One of the men going to space, I guess?"

"Yes." Katherine dunks a piece of cookie in her tea, watching the liquid soak its way up. "John Glenn."

Joylette lets out a long breath. "You know, honey, I never saw an easy path for you. I thought being widowed young might be enough, but..." She spreads her hands.

"But I guess not," Katherine finishes. The piece of cookie melts into a mess of crums in her tea.

Her mother reaches across the table to take her hand. "God doesn't make mistakes," she says. "I believe that, and I believe that He made you strong enough to stand up to whatever the world throws in your path."

"Even a soulbond to a white Marine Corps pilot?" Katherine asks wryly.

Joylette squeezes her hand. "Especially that."

***

Katherine's heard about the symptoms of a developing bond; how could she not have? But she'd never really expected to experience them - certainly not at her age - so the dreams come as a surprise.

Everything has that bright edge that comes with a high fever, too sharp, and Katherine tosses and turns, tangling herself in her sheets. The moment their hands touched, skin on skin, stretches out like a wire. She can feel him, his presence sweet and crisp like a slice of melon, on the edge of her dreams. She wants -

_You can have it,_ he says, in that voice she'd know anywhere. _I want to give you everything you want._

_I don't know what I want from you._

_We could figure it out together._

She likes that idea.

***

In the morning, Katherine isn't sure whether the conversation she half-remembers was real or a dream. She's heard, of course, about bonded couples exhibiting psychic phenomena, but isn't that usually when they've been bonded for years? She pushes the fading thoughts away and focuses on the details of getting dressed for work.

Katherine is distracted when she picks up Dorothy and Mary, and as they drive towards Langley - but not too distracted to notice the broken-down car by the side of the road. "Ladies, do we stop?" she asks, feeling a strange tug in the pit of her stomach.

"Oh, yes, we do," Mary says, leaning out the window. "Oh, Mr. Glenn!"

Katherine pulls to the side of the road as the man bent over examining the engine straightens up, and of course, Mary's right. It's him. His face brightens when he sees them - sees _her_ \- and the tug in her gut intensifies. She parks the car and gets out, smoothing her skirt down over her thighs.

"Mrs. Jackson," Mr. Glenn says. "Mrs. Vaughan. ...Mrs. Goble."

"Mr. Glenn," Dorothy says, inclining her head like a queen.

His gaze swings immediately to Katherine. It would have been perfectly appropriate for Dorothy to shake his hand, since their bond hasn't been publicly acknowledged yet; her demurral can only mean that she already knows.

"Mr. Glenn," Katherine says, and holds out her hand, willing it not to shake.

He takes it.

"We'll just... take care of the car," she hears Dorothy say behind her. All she can see is Mr. Glenn's eyes, warm green like a pond in summer, and nothing else even exists, let alone matters, for the space of a few heartbeats.

"You're real," he breathes, squeezing her hand almost tightly enough to hurt.

"Of course I'm real," Katherine says, surprised.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I meant - I never thought - I've always dreamed of having a soulbond."

"Me too," Katherine says softly.

"I guess you didn't expect it to be someone like me." He gestures self-effacingly with the hand not holding hers.

"Well," she says. "No. I suppose you didn't expect someone like me, either."

"No," he says, still holding her hand, still gazing into her eyes. "How could I have?"

"Sir," she says, glancing down at their joined hands.

"Call me John," he says. "I'd like to hear you say it."

"John, then. And you'd better call me Katherine."

"Katherine." His voice practically caresses the syllables - she hopes that Dorothy and Mary are too absorbed in the workings of the car to overhear. "Katherine, may I call on you?"

"Call on me?" she repeats blankly.

"I want to do this right," he says. "I don't want - I know there are men, especially white men, who take advantage of their soulbonds. I wouldn't do that to you, and I want to make that clear to you and to everyone who loves you."

Katherine has no idea how to respond to a declaration like that. She just stares at him. "I... thank you," she says at last.

"Don't thank me," he says, then grins boyishly and adds, "Not yet."

She can't help but return a smile like that one. "All right, I take it back."

There's a delicate cough from behind her. "Are we ready to go, or shall I find something else to tinker with?" Mary inquires.

"You never answered my question," John says. "May I call on you?"

'Yes," Katherine says, "you may." A giddy laugh bubbles up from her throat, and John beams at her.

"Good," he says. "I will." Then he turns to Mary and Dorothy. "Thank you, ladies, for your assistance. I really appreciate it."

"You're very welcome, sir," Dorothy says.

He waves that off. "Call me John. I hope we'll get to know each other better."

"You're very welcome - _John_ ," Mary says, catching Katherine's eye.

"I guess we'd better go," Katherine says. She slowly disentangles her hand from John's. "I suppose we'll be seeing each other soon?"

"Oh, you can count on it," he says warmly.

Somehow, Katherine gets back into the driver's seat. She can still feel a phantom touch on her right hand, like John's thumb is still stroking her skin.

" _Well,_ " Mary says, a world of meaning in the single word.

"That was not what I expected," Dorothy says. "I like him."

Katherine's heart flutters like a bird. "Me too," she says.

"Good," Mary says firmly. "That's what matters."

"How much did you two overhear?" Katherine asks.

"Not as much as I wanted to!"

"Enough," Dorothy says. "He wants to call on you. A gentleman!"

"And you're going to let him, right?" Mary says.

"Yes," Katherine says. "I am."

"Oooh!" Mary fans herself, the motion catching Katherine's eye in the rearview mirror. "What do white men even do when they court ladies? Do they start off with diamonds and roses, or what?"

"Don't be silly," Dorothy says. "What's left for the second date, then?"

"Girl, that's what I call a failure of imagination!"

***

It's Saturday morning when John comes to call. The girls are playing with their dolls in the den, and Katherine and her mother are washing dishes, music playing on the radio where they can all hear it. There's a knock at the door, just loud enough to be heard over the sweet boys' voices - the Duprees, she thinks.

"Now, who could that be?" Katherine asks rhetorically. She dries her hands on a dishtowel and goes to answer the door. John is standing there on the stoop, his arms full of flowers. "Hello?" she says; it comes out half a question.

"Katherine!" he says, sounding genuinely delighted. "Good morning!"

"Good morning," she repeats, then, remembering her manners, "Won't you come in?"

"Thank you! These are for you." He hands her the largest bouquet, pink fluffy flowers that smell divine.

"Oh, John," she says. "You're too kind!"

"John?" says Joylette from the kitchen.

"You must be Katherine's mother," John says, handing her the second-largest bouquet. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Mama, this is John Glenn, of the Mercury 7," Katherine says. "John, this is my mother, Joylette Coleman."

"It's so good to meet you, John," Joylette says. "Thank you for the flowers."

"These are for your girls," John says, indicating the three small bunches of flowers. "You have three, don't you?"

"Yes - how did you know? Girls, come in here! Mr. Glenn has something for you!" she calls.

The three of them pile into the kitchen, making enough noise for at least a dozen. "Ooh, he's famous!" squeals Constance.

"We saw you on _Life_ magazine!"

"I bet you did," John says, hunkering down to their level. "Would you like some flowers?"

"I want these ones," says Kathy, pointing at one of the bunches.

"You're handsomer in real life," Joylette informs him.

"Thank you," he says gravely, handing her the bouquet she points out, and giving the third to Constance.

"Can I get you a drink?" Katherine asks him, once the girls have cleared out, admiring their flowers and chattering.

"No, thank you," John says. "I was actually hoping I could take you out for a walk."

Katherine glances at her mother, who nods. "That would be lovely," she says.

"Take him around the park," Joylette suggests. "Then there's that nice little luncheonette, if you get hungry."

"Mama," Katherine says.

"What? It was just a thought!"

"I appreciate it," John says, turning that bright smile on both of them. "I'm not familiar wiht the area - not yet."

"See?" Joylette says virtuously, and Katherine has to laugh.

They go for a walk. It's a beautiful day, and the park is lightly populated with children, dogs, and courting couples - _other_ courting couples, Katherine supposes she should say. John holds her hand, their fingers interlaced, and it feels like sunlight is racing up her arm, straight to her heart.

"How did you know I had three daughters?" she asks him again, as they walk under a spreading tree. "Did you ask someone?"

John looks at her, eyebrows raised. "It came through the bond," he says, as if it should be obvious.

"I thought that was a myth," Katherine says unthinkingly.

He laughs. "It's not. Try it - what do you know about me?"

She imagines walking her fingers up his arm, wondering what he'd like her to know. "You sold rhubarb to get the money to buy a bike," she says. "Really? Rhubarb?"

A pulse of happiness throbs through the bond, and Katherine jumps a little. "Really," he says, grinning.

They spend hours talking, and eating sandwiches at the luncheonette, and talking some more. It's nearly dark by the time John walks Katherine back to her house. "I had a lovely time," she tells him, lingering on the stoop.

"So did I," John says. His hand brushes hers. "Katherine, may I kiss you?"

She pretends to think about it, tapping her chin. "Will you think I'm a trollop if I say yes?"

"No," he says earnestly. "I'd never think that about you."

Katherine wants him - oh, she wants him badly. She thinks he knows it, too. "Then I suppose I'll let you," she says.

His hand comes up to cup her face. "Thank you," he whispers, meeting her eyes. She parts her lips, intending to say something, and he kisses her. His mouth is soft and warm, and he kisses so sweetly that it almost hurts her heart.

It's over too soon. "Oh," Katherine says quietly. "Oh, John."

He grins at her. "May I see you again?" he asks, a teasing note underlying the formality of the phrase.

"Yes," she says, and smiles back.

***

The next morning, Constance can't find her left shoe, so they're later getting to church than Katherine likes, and when they do get there, the congregation is already buzzing.

"Mama, what's going on?" demands one of the girls, tugging on her hand.

"I don't know, baby," Katherine whispers back, but the swooping feeling in her stomach tells her that maybe she does.

Then a piping voice asks, "Why's a white man here, Daddy?", and she's sure.

"White men love Jesus, too, Mikey," comes the response, deep and resonant, from Mr. Brown, and laughter ripples through the pews.

Not only is John Glenn in her church, he's in her family's usual pew, smiling and shaking hands and introducing himself to people. They all know perfectly well who he is - friendly though the congregation may be, they'd be fools not to be suspicious of an unaccompanied white man - but they smile and nod and introduce themselves anyway. When he greets Katherine's family, his hand clasp and beautiful smile going straight to her heart, there's a quiet murmur of understanding, and the girls even let her sit next to him.

How fast does news spread in her chuch? Fast enough that the sermon the minister chooses to preach on is the story of Ruth and Naomi: how it's up to God, not society, whose soul is bound to yours; how it is good and beautiful to follow your soulmate where their heart leads. Sitting surrounded by family and community, Katherine thinks of love - thinks of the stars - and could weep at the beauty of it all.

***

John phones and asks her over for dinner, awkwardly saying that he'd love to have her mother and the girls over sometime too, but this weekend, if it's not too much to ask, he'd really like it to be just the two of them, this time.

Katherine lets him squirm just a little, then says, "That'll be just fine, John. I'm looking forward to it."

He heaves a sigh of relief that turns into a laugh at the end. "You like it when I'm nervous," he accuses her, "don't you!"

"Well," Katherine says, "maybe a little bit. You just squirm so nicely." She can't help but laugh herself.

"Maybe I'll get to make you squirm, too," John says, his voice dropping a little. "Will you let me?"

Katherine does squirm, then, and she's pretty sure he knows it. "Mmm," she says. "I might."

"I could talk you into it," he offers. "I can be very persuasive."

"I could be talked into it," Katherine says.

"Good," John says. "Then I'll see you Friday night?"

She covers the phone with one hand and groans, then pulls herself together and says, "Yes, Friday night," with all the composure she can muster.

Her mother is laughing at her when she hangs up the phone, and Katherine honestly can't blame her. "I remmeber when your father and I were courting," she says. "Sometimes it could be... frustrating, but it was all worth it in the end."

"You'd better be right," Katherine says, sighing.

"Oh, I think I am."

***

It turns out that John can cook: chicken, greens, potatoes, and ambrosia cake. She eats with a good will, enjoying the food nearly as much as the way he keeps looking at her - and then he pushes his plate away, and, Lord above, gets down on his knees in front of her.

"There's something else I'd like to do from here," he says, "and soon - but I thought you'd like a sample first."

He can't possibly mean what she thinks he - oh, Lord, he does. " _John,_ " Katherine says, as he spreads her thighs and pushes up her skirt, pressing his open mouth to the fabric of her briefs. "John, you can't -"

"Do you want me to stop?" He lifts his mouth away from her. "I will. Whatever you want."

She strokes the side of his face, rubbing her thumb over his lower lip. "What do they teach you boys in the Marine Corps?" she asks, only half joking.

John leans into her touch and looks up at her, green eyes glinting gold in the light, like a cat's. "I could show you," he says.

"What do I do?" Katherine asks.

"You take off your panties, and then you tell me if you like what I try." He licks the pad of her thumb, where she's left it at the corner of his mouth, and she trembles, feeling the sensation magnified through their bond. "I think you will."

"Mmm, they say you flyboys are cocky." Katherine tries to make the process of getting out of her undergarments, if not quite alluring, then at least minimally undignified; she must not do too bad a job of it, because when she's done, skirt rucked up so she's bare from the waist down, John is still on his knees, pupils big and dark with desire.

"Yeah, but did they ever say we didn't deserve it?" He kisses the inside of her thigh and looks up, asking for permission to continue.

"I guess you'd better let me see for myself," Katherine says.

John beams at her, and then - then, oh, what he does to her, with those hands and that mouth! He drives her wild, until she's clutching at his hair and his shoulder, bucking forward against his clever tongue, pleasure in waves wringing her out like a dishcloth. The pleasure isn't just her own, either; he loves what he's doing to her, and she loves it too, soaring both ways along their soulbond, hers to him, his to her, back and forth like facing mirrors stretching into infinity.

At last, it's too much - for which of them, Katherine isn't sure - and John sits back on the linoleum floor, wiping sweat from his forehead. "That -" Katherine starts to say, but her voice cracks. She fumbles for her forgotten water glass and sips, then tries again. "That - was certainly something."

" _You're_ certainly something," John says. "Will you marry me, when I've been to space?"

"Yes," Katherine says. "Of course I will."

John gets up onto his knees and kisses her, his mouth swollen and wet from what they've enjoyed together. "Good," he says, and produces a ring from his pocket.

It fits perfectly. "The bond?" she asks, admiring the gleam of it.

"Luck," John says. "It was my mother's."

She kisses him again, thoroughly. "Take me to bed," she demands.

"I would be honored." He rises to his feet, giving Katherine an excellent view of what he keeps in his slacks, then offers her his hand.

She takes it.


End file.
